The Chase Sapphire Reserve® and the The Platinum Card® from American Express are premium cards that can enhance just about every aspect of your travel experience. While they have steep annual fees, people who travel on the regular may find it easy to recoup that cost every year in rewards and perks.
But when we put the Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum head to head, which one is better? The answer is: it depends.
Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum: Core benefits and fees
Chase Sapphire Reserve |
Amex Platinum |
|
Card type | Travel | Travel |
Credit card issuer | Chase | American Express |
Welcome bonus | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening | Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months |
Annual Fee | $550 | $695 (Terms apply) |
Earning rate | 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases | 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases |
Redemption methods |
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Other benefits |
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Authorized user fee | $75 | $195 |
Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
Credit needed | Excellent | Excellent, Good |
Learn more | Learn more |
Why are these cards so popular?
Both cards are incredibly popular among enthusiasts of credit cards. Let's take a look at why.
Rewards programs
Between these two premium credit cards, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card offers a better rewards program, with more opportunities to earn bonus rewards and more valuable redemption options when you redeem within the rewards program. Remember, though, that both cards allow you to transfer points to travel partners, giving you the chance to maximize their value.
Rewards flexibility
The Chase Travel℠ program is one of the most versatile rewards programs available, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve gives cardholders the chance to make the most out of it.
As a cardholder, you can redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for cash back and gift cards at a rate of 1 cent per point. But if you use your rewards to book travel through Chase, you’ll receive 50% more value, making each point worth 1.5 cents.
If you’re a savvier card user, there’s an opportunity to squeeze even more value out of Ultimate Rewards points by transferring them to one of Chase’s airline and hotel partners, which include both domestic and international brands, ranging from Southwest Airlines to Hyatt hotels, as well as JetBlue, Air France, and British Airways.
The Amex Platinum won’t give you any more than 1 cent per point when you redeem your points in-house. But if you transfer your rewards to an Amex airline or hotel partner, you could potentially get a lot more value out of them. Amex partners also include British Airways, Air France, and JetBlue.
Both cards offer access to a platform for doing your trip planning and booking in the form of the Chase travel portal and Amex Travel, respectively.
Luxury perks
You can earn free flights and hotel stays with just about any travel rewards card, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the American Express Platinum take things to the next level. Both cards offer complimentary airport lounge access, travel-related statement credits, rental car discounts and upgrades, various trip protections, and more.
These benefits can not only save you money while you’re traveling, but they can also enhance your trip experience. Many airport lounges, for example, provide complimentary food and drinks, as well as a quiet refuge from the hubbub of the rest of the airport.
Complimentary credits
Both cards offer complimentary credits for cardmembers. The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers an application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. In addition, the Chase Sapphire Reserve also offers a flexible $300 annual travel credit, while the Amex Platinum Card does not.
However, the Amex Platinum offers up to $200 in Uber Cash annually, up to a $100 annual credit for purchases made at Saks Fifth Avenue, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (five-year plan only), up to $200 in annual hotel statement credits, up to $200 in annual airline fee credits, up to $300 annually in statement credits for an Equinox digital or club membership, up to $240 in annual digital entertainment credits, and up to $199 in annual CLEAR® Plus membership credits (note that certain benefits may require enrollment).
Travel perks and other benefits
Chase Sapphire Reserve |
Amex Platinum |
|
Lounge Access | Access to Priority Pass Select network lounges | Access to Centurion, American Express, Priority Pass, Delta Sky Club, Airspace, and Escape network lounges |
Elite Hotel Programs | Special benefits at The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection and Relais & Chateaux | Hilton Honors Gold status and Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status; free benefits at The Hotel Collection and Fine Hotel & Resorts |
Rideshare and Food Delivery | Two free years of Lyft Pink All Access (if you activate by Dec. 31, 2024); earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually); at least a year of complimentary DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027) | Up to $200 in Uber Cash each year |
Car Rental Benefits | Premium status with Avis, National, and Silvercar | Premium status with Avis, Hertz, and National |
Travel Accident Insurance | Yes | No |
Trip Delay Insurance | Yes | Yes1 |
Trip Cancellation Insurance | Yes | No2 |
Lost or Delayed Baggage Insurance | Yes | Yes3 |
Rental Car Insurance | Yes, primary | Yes, secondary4 |
Emergency Evacuation and Transportation | Yes | Yes |
Emergency Medical and Dental Benefit | Yes | Yes |
Roadside Assistance | Yes | No |
Learn more |
Note that certain benefits may require enrollment Learn more |
If you’re considering the Amex Platinum or Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Amex Platinum benefits may provide a lot more value. Not only do you get access to several more airport lounge networks, but you’ll also get complimentary elite status with two major hotel brands after enrollment — something the Chase Sapphire Reserve doesn’t currently offer at all.
Rideshare and food delivery
The Chase Sapphire Reserve offers two free years of Lyft Pink membership (valued at $199/year) if you activate by Dec. 31, 2024, and you can earn 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠ (after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually). You also get at least a year of free DashPass from DoorDash membership for $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on orders over $12 (must activate by Dec. 31, 2027). If you enroll in DashPass, you get $5 DoorDash credits per month.
Compare this to the Amex Platinum that offers up to $200 in Uber Cash each year, if you have an active Uber account and pay with your card. That’s $15 of Uber Cash each month plus a $20 bonus in December to use on Uber rides or Uber Eats orders.
The free Uber Cash on the Amex Platinum is likely better overall because it’s simple and easy. You get a certain amount to use each month and Uber Cash is interchangeable between Uber rides and Uber Eats.
Trip protections
If you want the card with the most travel insurance protections, however, the Chase Sapphire Reserve may be the better choice. Most notably, the card offers primary rental car insurance. This means you don’t need to file a claim with your personal insurance policy at all.
Rental car coverage
American Express offers primary rental car insurance for a fee (which is typically much cheaper than what you’d pay the rental car company), but the coverage that comes with the Amex Platinum is secondary. This means you’d need to first file a claim with your personal car insurance policy, and the card’s coverage will only kick in if there’s anything left over that your insurer didn’t cover.
Which card is right for you?
Neither card is objectively better than the other. Both offer a healthy welcome offer as well as bonus points on certain purchases. So it’s important to know what you want out of a card to know which is better for you.
Chase Sapphire Reserve
If rewards value and flexibility are your top priorities, the Chase Sapphire Reserve wins hands-down, especially if you spend a lot on general travel purchases and dining.
Learn more about this card at our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.
Amex Platinum
If you’re not as concerned about getting free travel — maybe you travel a lot for work and aren’t paying for it, or you can easily afford trip expenses — and instead want the card that provides more value in the form of perks, the Amex Platinum is the clear winner between the two.
Take some time to consider your travel habits, preferences, and spending habits to determine which card is best suited for your wants and needs.
Learn more about this card at our Amex Platinum review.
FAQs
Does it make sense to have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum?
If you can get enough benefit from both cards to offset their annual fees and want to maximize your earning potential and perks, it could make a lot of sense to have both the Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Amex Platinum.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve earns bonus rewards on broad categories of other travel and dining, which is different from the Amex Platinum. But the Amex Platinum offers additional airport lounge access at Amex Centurion Lounges, as well as complimentary elite status with loyalty programs like Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. Note that some benefits require enrollment.
Combining rewards and benefits from both cards could open up additional earning opportunities and enhance your travels even more.
Is the Amex Platinum prestigious?
The Amex Platinum is one of the most prestigious credit cards available because of its premium travel perks and benefits. This includes complimentary Priority Pass and Amex Centurion Lounge access, up to $200 in Uber Cash each year (terms apply), up to $100 in annual Saks Fifth Avenue credits, and automatic elite status with Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors. However, certain benefits require enrollment or activation.
And that’s not to mention the valuable Amex Membership Rewards points you earn on every eligible purchase, which can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, and transfers to more than a dozen Amex transfer partners.
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum discussion is important for frequent travelers looking to get more value whenever they’re on the road or in the air. Depending on how often you travel, you could get a lot more value out of these credit card offers than what you pay in annual fees every year. Before you apply for one, though, be sure to compare them with rewards credit cards from other credit card issuers that may also provide you with the perks that you need.
While many other travel cards don’t offer as much value, they may charge more affordable annual fees. There are also other premium travel cards that may be a better fit. (If you want to compare credit cards, check out our article on the Chase Sapphire Reserve vs. Amex Platinum vs. Citi Prestige.)
Take the time to research and compare all of your options to make sure you get the best travel credit card for you.